Chair-bed with floating vibrator housing



Sept. 22, 1959 L. SEAMAN ETAI- cHAR-BED WITH FLOATING VIBRATOR HOUSING Filed May 16, 19584 VIII INVENTORS 5m. A/,qe

United States Patent C) CHAIR-BED WITH FLOATING VIBRATR HOUSING fouis Seaman, Los Angeles, and Sol Karp, Encino, Calif.

Application May 16, 1958', Serial N 0.- 735,747

4- Claims. (Cl. 12S-33V) This invention relates to adjustable lounge beds providedwith vibrating units: for imparting massaging action tothe body of a person sitting or reclining on the lounge. More particularly, the invention relatesto such a device in\ which the vibrations are generated by a vibration generator mounted in a housing` which floats freely and re siliently in a center base structure, imparting a vigorous vibration action to the center or seat portion of the lounge, and a gentler vibration action to the frames of a pair of end sections, one at each end of the middle base section.

I=n recent years, the application of. a mechanical vibrating machine, usually electrically driven, to thev muscles and fatty tissues of the human body has been found to provide most of the advantages of. manual massage, and, in addition, many benefits of stimulation, deep penetration, andtissue manipulation not obtainable from massagc.- Mostof the mechanical vibrators have been hand devices which. were appliedto the body by a masseur, or by theuser'himself. More recently, vibrating beds have been., developedk to impart the mechanical vibrating and massaging actionA to any desired part of the body of a personA reclining or sitting. on the bed.

Previously known reclining beds, or chai`r-beds as the adjustable lounge type are generally called', have either been expensive because of the provision ofseverall vi"- bration. generators at different points in the bed', or have been ineffective because vibrations were conried to one f locality of. the body supporting, surface, whilethe rest ,otfgtltie lounge or bed remained static.

klktnotlter disadvantage of previously knownV vibrating beds hasbeen their Amassive construction. The average homeowner needs something which is portable and storable and` which cany be readily disassembled, stored in a closet, or removed and reassembled for ready use; Some vibrating lounge beds have been so massive that it' has been necessary' to set them up permanently in a position from which they coul'd not be readily moved'.

Many previously known'vibrating lounges do not concentrate the maximum vibrations at the point of maximum body Weight and density.` Instead, vibrations are imparted equally,- r evenmore violently, to the legs and the upper torso, than to the hips and thighs, where the most vigorousvibrati-ng action is generally required'.

It i's a major object of the present invention to" pro'- vide a vibrating lounge which'. is capable of generating Vibrations. over the full length ofthe bed, soy that the body may be. subjected' to: a massaging' action for its full length A second important object ofv the inventionv is' to provide a vibrating lounge which automatically appliesvi'- brations. of maximum strength to the lower torso at the point of maximum' weight, and gentler vibrations to the ,upper torso andthe l'ower'l'egs. y

Still another object of the invention is' to provide a yibrating lounge which is easy to disassemble intoi three lightweight parts for ready' transport and storage.

Finally, it is an important object .of the invention' to provide all the foregoing' advantagesin a rugged device ICC of inexpensive construction, in which a single vibration generator of the best quality can be utilized for distribut-y ing vibrations of suitable strength over the entire body surface.

The foregoingv and other objects of the invention, and various advantages incident to the invention and partie ularly to the preferred specic embodiment illustratedi the drawings, may be understood from the following` defl scription taken in connection with the drawings, intwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective View' of the vibrating chairbed as it appears when assembled for use;.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken at avertical section of the middle portion of the device as seen. in the direction ofthe arrows 2 2 in Figure l; and

Figure 3 isa transverse vertical sectional View of the vibrator housing ofthe vibrator chair-bed of Figures A1 and 2, as viewed inthe direction ofthe arrows- 3-3 in Figure 2.

In Figure l, a chair-bed constructedy according tor the invention, indicated generally by the numeral 10,- is. seen to be comprised principally of three readily assembled sections, a middle section 11 and two similar end sections 12 and 13.

The middle section 11 is comprised. of a massive and rigid base section 11a, and a vibrator housing 11b which contains a vibration generator 14, all to bey described hereinafter in connection with Figure 2.4

The end, sectionsV 12 and 13 are very light in weight, being constructed. of a tubular steel framework and lightweight parts. Thus, end section 12 is comprised` of a steel framework 20 which is comprised of. a rigidA reotangular portion 21 and endv legs 22. Preferably, the end legs 22 are provided with an` extra U-shaped leg member 23 pivotally attached to the legs 22 by pivots 24 tol provide adjustment in elevation from the horizontal of end section 12, as illustrated in Figure l. It. will be readily appreciatedA that if auxiliary folding legsy 23 were folded inwardly, the end section 12 would drop tov a horizontal position, being, supported by end legs` 22 which would thus be brought into contact with the oor surface.

In Figure l, a corner of end section 12 isfragmentarily broken away, to reveal, when taken in connection with the sectional view of Figure 2, the construction ofv the end sections 12 and. 13. The lightweight, but rigid steel framework-21 supports arigid laminated. berboard memher 25, which fills the rectangular area within the framework. 21 and is preferably supported therein by means of strong cloth webbing 26. Preferably a pad 27 of rubberized hair or other goodupholstery material is attached means of. adhesive to the upper surface of the board The entire bed surface of the end sectionv 12` isY covered with* an enclosing sack covering 28A of. plastic surfaced upholstery material.

At the inner end 29 of the end section 12, the transverse bar section 30 is vertically pierced at two points 31 and 32, and receives a pair of bolts 33 held. rigidly in position by nuts 34;

As seen in the sectional view of Figure 2, the downward projecting ends of the bolts 33 are receivedin mating bores 35 in a transverse steel tube 36 which is screwed by screws 37 to the base 11a, as clearlyy seen at the right of the sectional View' of Figure 2.`

It will be obvious that the end-section12- can beI readily disassembled from the middle sectionk 11 by simply lifting' the inner end transverse bar 29 upwardly to extract the bolts 33 from the holes 35 in the coupling` mem ber 36.

Also, it will be understood that the construction and coupling of the other end section I3 to the opposite end of the, middle section 11' is exactly the same asv has beerf described in connection with end' section I2, except that the length and the dimensions of the folding legs may be different in order to provide an additional choice of reclining elevation.

The center section 11 is covered with an upholstery material 40, which may be the same as the upholstery 28 used in end sections 12 and 13.

As seen in Figure l, the exposed side of the middle section 11 is seen to be provided with an adjustment knob 41 for a rheostat speed control to be described hereinafter. Also, the exposed side has an opening 42 from which an electric cord 43 may be withdrawn for connec- 'tion to a power outlet. Each side of the middle section 11 has, on its upper part, a heat conductive metal `ventilating plate 44 with Ventilating louvers to admit air to the interior of a vibrator housing to be described hereinafter in connection with Figure 2.

In the sectional View of Figure 2, it is seen that the base 11a is of relatively massive and rigid construction. Two kend panels 51 and 52, preferably of strong hardwood, are joined by a pair of side panels 53 (the interior surface of one of the side panels 53 is seen in Figure 2) and a bottom panel 54.

On the interior surface of side panel 53, a rheostat 55 is mounted. Power is supplied to the generating unit 14 through the electric cord 43 by way of lines 56 and 57, the rheostat 55 being connected in series in line 56. Thus, the voltage of the power actually applied to the vibration generator 14 is variable from line voltage down to a voltage substantially below the line voltage by adjustment of the rheostat knob 41.

The upper end of the base 11a is open, and snugly receives the vibrator housing 13, which is seen to be comprised of two massive and rigid wooden end panels 61 and 62, and stitf but flexible bottom and top panels 63 and 64 respectively. The sides of the vibrator housing 13 are closed by the louvered Ventilating side plates 44, which have already been mentioned in connection with the description of Figure 1.

The entire vibrator housing 11b, except for the side .panels 44, is enclosed in a heavy layer of sponge rubber or other resilient material, such as plastic foam, indicated in Figure 2 by the numeral 65. The resilient layer 65 is actually compressed between the overlapping portions of the vibrator housing end panels 61 and 62 and the base end panels 51 and 52 as seen at 66.

Also, it will be seen that the underside of the vibrator housing 13 is resiliently supported at the proper elevation in the base 11a by means of an internal shoulder structure mounted on the interior surfaces of the base .side panels 54 and end panels 51 and 52, illustrated in the preferred embodiment as comprised of heavy triangular corner cleats 67.

The heavy upholstery material 40 covering the middle section 11, and passing over the vibrator housing 13, is securely fastened to the base 11a by virtue of the transverse coupling members 36 and their fastening screws 37, which enter the heavy base end panels 51 and 52. Thus, the vibrator housing is resiliently mounted in the upper portion of the base 11a, and with rigid end panels 61 and 62 overlapping and received within rigid base panels 51 and 52, but permitted freedom to move in the resilient mounting comprised of the resilient layer 65, being flexibly and movably held in position by the upholstery cover 40.

An important feature of the invention is the vibrator generator 14 and the manner in which it is mounted in the vibrator housing 11b. As seen in the sectional view of Figure 3, taken in connection with the end view of the vibration generator 14 in Figure 2, the generator 14 is comprised of an electric motor l1 which receives its current through the leads 56 and 57, which pass up through a center opening 71a in the bottom housing panel 63. At each end of the shaft 72 of the motor 71 eccentric weights 73 and 74, respectively, are mounted and keyed to the shaft so as to rotate with it while offset in the same direction, thus producing vibrations. Preferably, a cooling fan 75 is also mounted on a shaft 72 to provide a continuous stream of cooling air over the vibration motor 71.

An important feature of the mounting of the vibration unit 14 is that the frame 76 of the motor 71 serves as a central column, or rather a pair of central columns, between the bottom and top panels 63 and 64 of the vibrator housing 11b. Thus, the motor frame 76 strengthens the vibrator housing 11b and imparts a vigorous vertical component of vibration motion to the relatively ilexible panels 63 and 64.

On the other hand, the horizontal components of vibration motion are transmitted very rigidly through the vibration housing structure, the rigid vibrator housing end panels 61 and 62, the resilient pad 65, the rigid base end panels 51 and 52, to the coupling members 36, and thence to the steel tubular frames of end sections 12 and 13. Thus, the end sections, for example end section 12, are caused to experience a cycloidal vibration movement transmitted through the steel tubing of the rectangular frame 21 and the supporting iberboard 25.

Preferably, the base 11a is supported on feet 16, and the base bottom panel 54 is perforated to provide ventilating air to the interior of the base 11a, thus carrying away the heat produced by the rheostat 55.

It will be appreciated and understood by those familiar with the art that many variations of the invention may be constructed. The foregoing specific embodiment is described for purposes of illustration and not for purposes of limitation, since all structures falling within the scope of the appended claims are believed to be mere modifications of the invention disclosed.

We claim:

1. A vibrator device which includes: a rigid base having a shallow opening at the top; a vibrator housing having llexible upper and lower panels, and rigid end walls, received in said opening on said base; resilient support means between said housing and said base; and a vibration generator means within said housing and attached to said upper and lower panels to produce flexing thereof and longitudinal movement of said vibrator housing; and at least one body supporting section extending from said base adjacent one end of said housing.

2. A vibrator device which includes: a hollow base structure having rigid end walls and an upper opening; shoulder support means just below said upper opening within said rigid base; a vibrator housing having tiexible upper and lower panels, and rigid end walls, said vibrator housing being closely received in said base opening with said base end walls and said housing end walls partially overlapping; a layer of resilient material compressed between the adjacent end panels of said base and said vibrator housing; a pair of body supporting sections extending from each end wall of said base; rigid coupling means between the end of each of said end sections and said end walls of said base; and vibrator means centrally disposed in said vibrator housing and mounted in a vertical column between said top and bottom panels.

3. A vibrator bed means which includes: a center base support having rigid end panels; a vibrator housing including upper and lower panels, said housing being supported above said base, and partly received into an opening in the upper part of said base; resilient mounting means between sald vibrator housing and said base; an end bed section extending from each end of said base, said end bed section being supported on said base end wall near the middle of said bed, and supported on adjustable supports at the outer end of said section; and vibrator means inside of said vibrator housing and coupled tightly to the upper and lower panels thereof near their middle sections.

4.A vibrator device which includes: a middle base structure having an upper opening and rigid end walls projecting above said opening; shoulder support means just below said upper opening within said rigid base; a vibrator housing having iexible upper and lower panels, and rigid end walls, said Vibrator housing being closely received between said projecting base end walls and projecting above said walls; a layer of resilient material compressed between said projecting base end panels and said vibrator housing; a pair of body supporting sections extending from each end wall of said base, said end sections being comprised of a rigid frame supporting a relatively flexible body supporting panel; a transverse bar means fastened Ialong the top of each base end wall; coupling means for closely coupling said `transverse bar means to the adjacent transverse bars of the frames of said respective end sections; `an electric motor with an eccentrically weighted shaft centrally disposed in said vibrator housing and mounted in a vertical column between said top and bottom panels; and motor control means in said base 5 for controlling said electric motor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,687,717 Murphy Aug. 31, 1954 2,694,394 Miller Nov. 16, 1954 2,860,628 Stauier Nov. 18, 1958 

